The WDSU I-Team obtained records showing the number of citations issued at each New Orleans safety camera on a month-to-month basis in 2012. We found the numbers often vary radically.

The school zone camera at Canal and Olympia experienced some of the most dramatic shifts. From 929 citations in January to 167 in February. Then again in October at 379, down to a year-low of 90 in November and then a year-high of 1,255 in December.

"Once a month, I'd say easy, [workers] are out there fiddling with the cameras," said a man who lives near the Canal and Olympia camera. "I know I see [drivers] speed, I pretty much know they're going faster than 35 mph and it doesn't click."

The I-Team requested an interview but the City of New Orleans was unable to schedule one. However, it confirmed that equipment at Canal and Olympia wasn't working during periods of 2012 because of "maintenance" issues with school zone signals there.

"The city's traffic safety camera program is designed to deter distracted, irresponsible driving and remind motorists to obey our city's traffic laws. From time to time, the city sees fluctuations in the number of citations issued depending on driver behavior, construction, weather related events, and the local academic schedules including summer breaks, school holidays and school zone signal repairs," said New Orleans Communication Director Garnesha Crawford in a statement.

The WDSU I-Team requested explanations for several intersections but only received a response for the intersection at Canal and Olympia.

We showed the numbers to drivers who pass by the cameras every day. Many say it looks like the cameras just aren't working.

"It sounds like they're not working one month and then the next month they're working," said Marcia Davenport. "It doesn't sound consistent."

If you'd like to see the numbers for yourself, including the amount of revenue generated at each location, check out our interactive map and as well as the original documents below:

NOW TO AN I-TEAM INVESTIGATION: YOU ARE LOOKING AT VIDEO RECORDED BY SOME OF THE DOZENS OF CAMERAS USED IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS SAFETY ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM. DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENT COLLISIONS AT LOCAL INTERSECTIONS, THAT STILL HAPPEN, EVEN WITH THOSE CAMERAS IN PLACE. THE WDSU I-TEAM HAS LEARNED THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM... MAY BE FAILURES WITH THE SYSTEM ITSELF. WE'VE OBTAINED DOCUMENTS SHOWING THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS BEING ISSUED AT SOME LOCATIONS, VARIES RADICALLY, IN THE HUNDREDS OR EVEN THOUSANDS... ON A MONTH-TO- MONTH BASIS. WDSU NEWS REPORTER BLAKE HANSON HAS THIS I-TEAM INVESTIGATION. THIS IS HAPPENING AT SPOTS ALL ACROSS THE CITY. SPOTS ALL ACROSS THE CITY. INCLUDING RIGHT HERE...CANAL AND OLYMPIA. OBVIOUSLY CONSTRUCTION, WEATHER AND GENERAL DRIVING BEHAVIOR CAN ACCOUNT FOR BIG SHIFTS IN THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS ISSUED...BUT SOME NEIGHBORS AND DRIVERS WE TALKED TO WERE SHOCKED BY HOW INCONSISTENT THE NUMBERS REALLY ARE. nats THEY ARE HERE TO KEEP US SAFE. nats A DETERRENT FOR FOLKS THINKING ABOUT SQUEEZING THROUGH THAT RED LIGHT OR ZIPPING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE. nats PROPONENTS SAY, THEY'RE MAKING THE ROADWAYS SAFER... BUT JUST HOW OFTEN ARE THESE ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS ACTUALLY WORKING? blake: you said workers come by pretty often? man: once a month i'd say easy, they're out there fiddling with the cameras THIS MAN...WHO DIDN'T WANT TO IDENTIFIED... LIVES RIGHT BY THE CAMERA AT CANAL AND OLYMPIA. IT'S DESIGNED TO SLOW DOWN SPEEDERS AS THEY APPROACH A NEARBY SCHOOL. HE WONDERS HOW OFTEN IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING.... i know I see them speed, I pretty much know they're going faster than 35 mph and it doesn't click THROUGH A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST THE WDSU I-TEAM OBTAINED DOCUMENTS SHOWING THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS ISSUED DIPPED AND WEAVED OVER THE COURSE OF LAST YEAR. 929 CITATIONS IN JANUARY DOWN TO 167 IN FEBRUARY... THEN IN OCTOBER 379 DOWN TO A YEAR-LOW OF 90 IN NOVEMBER...FOLLOWED BY A YEAR HIGH OF 1,255 IN DECEMBER. WE SHOWED THE NUMBERS TO DRIVERS WHO PASS BY THE CAMERAS EVERY DAY. it sounds like they're not working one month and then the next month they're working...it doesn't sound consistent WE WANTED TO KNOW TOO. IN EMAILS, CITY OFFICIALS SAID THEY COULDN'T SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW...BUT CONFIRMED THAT EQUIPMENT AT CANAL AND OLYMPIA WASN'T WORKING DURING PERIODS IN 2012 BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE ISSUES WITH THE SCHOOL SIGNALS. SO IT DIDN'T ISSUE CITATIONS DURING THOSE TIMES. THE CITY ALSO RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING: "The City's traffic safety camera program is designed to deter distracted, irresponsible driving and remind motorists to obey our city's traffic laws. From time to time, the City sees fluctuations in the number of citations issued depending on driver behavior, construction, weather related events, and the local academic schedules including summer breaks, school holidays and school zone signal repairs." BUT EVEN IF CITATIONS AREN'T ALWAYS BEING ISSUED... MANY SAY THE CAMERAS ARE STILL A GOOD THING .. I actually just think that they need to keep working on them till they get them right and so that there is no more controversy over it and I'm actually for the camera system AND THERE ARE DOZENS MORE LOCATIONS WHERE THE NUMBERS VARY GREATLY. SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION POINTS AND SCHOOL ZONES. BUT ALSO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ...WE'VE POSTED THE RECORDS ON OUR WEBSITE SO YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF. THAT'S WDSU- DOT-COM. ON YOUR SIDE IN MID-CITY, BLAKE HANSON, WDSU NEWS. ALSO ON WDSU-DOT-COM... AN INTERACTIVE MAP WITH THE TOP 10 LOCATIONS WHERE CITATIONS WERE ISSUED DURING 2012. YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT ONLINE RIGHT NOW. heath standup tease